Sound & Sense: Chapter 3

        One of my favorite days in English class was when we read a short story told by the perspective of a caveman named Oog... or was it Boog? The speaker talked in short, direct sentences in order to starkly convey the message of the story, similar to Henry Reed's poem, "Naming of Parts." The poem takes the reader through a very monosyllabic adventure where the speaker teaches his fellow soldiers the parts of a gun. In the fourth stanza, the speaker is teaching the soldiers how to slide the bolt in a process called easing the spring. The speaker then utilizes a metaphor to further explain his sentiments revolving this process: "The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers:/ They call it easing the Spring" (23-24). The prior use of the word spring was referencing a piece of a handgun. The same phrase, "easing the Spring," is now used to describe the season and warming temperature. The connotation of springtime is normally light and cheery; we think of flowers blooming and baby does frolicking through lush green grass. However, the speaker describes the process of easing the Spring with words such as 'assaulting' and 'fumbling.' The derogatory connotation of the words suggests that easing the Spring is not as beautiful as it appears, implying that the speaker is not fond of war and fighting. The corruption of the blooming season parallels the speaker's belief of the corruption and misrepresentation of war. The metaphors utilized by Henry Reed in his poem "Naming of Parts" unravel his true sentiments revolving warfare.